Machha Chasa Pain Nua Pokhari Khola Yojana, also called Matsya Pokhari Yojana (MMKY)
A capital subsidy to dig a brand-new fish pond for freshwater aquaculture — 40% of cost for a general applicant, 50% for SC, ST and women, paid in two instalments as the work is done.
Run by: Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department, Government of Odisha
- General category
- 40% subsidy on pond cost
- SC / ST / women
- 50% subsidy on pond cost
- Eligible pond size
- 0.2 to 2 hectares
- Minimum depth
- 6 feet
- Unit cost basis
- ≈ ₹8.5 lakh per hectare
- Scheme outlay
- ≈ ₹70 crore (state plan) · ~1,630 ha target
Overview
MMKY exists for the farmer who wants to get into fish farming but has no pond to start with. Run by Odisha's Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department, it funds the excavation of a brand-new tank or pond for intensive freshwater aquaculture, aiming to add fish-farming income and local employment on land that was not producing fish before.
The subsidy is a share of the cost of digging the pond itself: 40% for a general-category applicant, and 50% for SC, ST and women beneficiaries. On the roughly ₹8.5 lakh unit cost estimated for a 1-hectare tank, that works out to about ₹3.4 lakh subsidy for a general applicant and about ₹4.25 lakh for the higher-rate category. The eligible pond size runs from 0.2 to 2 hectares, with a minimum water depth of 6 feet — this is not a scheme for a shallow backyard pit.
Money does not arrive as one lump sum. Half the subsidy is released after the pond excavation itself is completed and verified, and the remaining half after the pond has been stocked with advanced-sized fingerlings — so the payout follows the work, not just the application.
It is a state-plan scheme of the Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department, funded from the Odisha budget rather than a central scheme. The scheme has carried an outlay of about ₹70 crore, with a physical target of roughly 1,630 hectares of new tanks to be excavated for intensive pisciculture in the year.
What you get
The benefit as the state notifies it — nothing here is an estimate.
- 40% subsidy on the cost of excavating a new fish pond for a general-category applicant.
- 50% subsidy for SC, ST and women beneficiaries — roughly ₹4.25 lakh against an estimated ₹8.5 lakh cost for a 1-hectare tank.
- Covers ponds from 0.2 hectare up to 2 hectares, so both a small family pond and a larger commercial tank can qualify.
- Subsidy released in two instalments — 50% after excavation is verified, 50% after fingerlings are stocked — so the money tracks real progress on the ground.
- Opens a new income stream on land that was not being used for aquaculture before, alongside whatever crop the family already grows.
Who is eligible
State schemes usually state their criteria as prose rather than a checklist. This is that prose, unpacked — the department’s verification is what decides.
You qualify if
- Permanent resident of Odisha with identity and residential proof
- Bank account held in the applicant's own name in Odisha
- Land for the pond is owned outright or held on a registered lease, free of encroachment or dispute
- Proposed pond area falls between 0.2 and 2 hectares with a minimum 6-feet water depth achievable
- Willing to submit a self-contained proposal with techno-economic details of the pond project
Not covered
- Pond area below 0.2 hectare or above the 2-hectare ceiling
- Land under dispute, encroachment, or without valid ownership/lease documentation
- A pond shallower than the minimum 6-feet depth requirement
- Renovation of an existing pond rather than excavation of a new one
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — most rejections are a missing paper, not a missing right.
- Aadhaar card and residential proof
- Bank account details in the applicant's name
- Land ownership document or a registered lease deed for the proposed pond site
- Self-contained proposal (SCP) with species, capital cost and recurring-cost details
- Caste/category certificate where claiming the 50% rate
How to apply
Fewer steps than a central scheme, and usually one office rather than a portal.
- 1
Prepare the self-contained proposal
Draw up the proposal with land documents, the fish species planned, and the capital and recurring costs of the pond — this is the core of the application.
- 2
Apply through the local fisheries office
Submit the filled application and proposal to the Assistant Fisheries Officer (AFO), who forwards it to the District Fisheries Officer (DFO) for scrutiny.
- 3
Excavate, stock, and claim in two instalments
Dig the pond to the sanctioned specifications; the first 50% of subsidy follows verification of excavation, and the second 50% after advanced fingerlings are stocked.
If something goes wrong
Missing from the list, or payment stuck — here is the channel the department itself publishes for it.
- For a sanction that is stuck, a verified excavation whose first instalment has not come, or a dispute over the pond specification, take it up with the Assistant Fisheries Officer and then the District Fisheries Officer, and the Chief District Veterinary/Fisheries office.
- If it stays unresolved, lodge it on Odisha's E-Abhijoga grievance portal (cmgcodisha.gov.in), the state's CM Grievance Cell system, which acknowledges a grievance within 24 hours and lets you track it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use this scheme to deepen or repair my existing pond?
No. MMKY funds the excavation of a new tank or pond for freshwater aquaculture, not the renovation or repair of one you already have.
Do I get the full subsidy amount up front?
No. It comes in two instalments — half after the pond excavation is verified, and the remaining half only after the pond is stocked with advanced-sized fingerlings.
How small or large can my pond be under this scheme?
The eligible area runs from 0.2 hectare up to 2 hectares, with a minimum water depth of 6 feet — smaller pits or shallower ponds do not qualify.
How much subsidy will I actually get?
The unit cost is taken as about ₹8.5 lakh per hectare. A general applicant gets 40% of that (about ₹3.4 lakh for one hectare) and an SC, ST or woman beneficiary gets 50% (about ₹4.25 lakh), paid across the two instalments.
Where does the money come from — is this a central scheme?
No. It is a state-plan scheme of Odisha's Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department, funded from the state budget, with an outlay of about ₹70 crore and a target of roughly 1,630 hectares of new tanks a year.
How do I apply?
Get the prescribed application format from the District Fisheries Officer or Assistant Fisheries Officer, attach your land documents and a self-contained proposal with species and cost details, and submit it through the local fisheries office.
Facts checked against fard.odisha.gov.in on 8 September 2026. editorial policy.